(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an assembly for releasably securing an all-terrain vehicle or other transportable vehicle to the bed of a truck, trailer or other transport vehicle, and in particular to an assembly that holds the all-terrain vehicle securely during use, but which can be readily disassembled when not in use so that no protrusions extend upwardly from the transport vehicle bed.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
An all-terrain vehicle (ATV) is designed for off-road use, either for recreational or work purposes, and is unsuitable for driving on public roadways. Thus, it is necessary to load the ATV onto a pickup truck, trailer or other transport vehicle in order to transport the ATV between sites where it is stored and used. Since the ATV is of relatively light weight and “bouncy” due to its inflated tires, some type of anchoring assembly is required to secure the ATV to the transport vehicle bed.
While the following description will be with specific reference to all-terrain vehicles, it will be apparent that the invention is equally applicable to other types of transportable vehicles, i.e., vehicles that can be mounted on and secured to the bed of a transport vehicle, such as a pickup truck or trailer. Such transportable vehicles include but are not limited to riding lawn mowers, golf carts, 6×6s, etc. The term ATV is used for purposes of brevity and should be read to encompass transportable vehicles in addition to ATVs.
Many users attempt to secure the ATV to the transport vehicle bed with chains, bungee cords, tie down straps or ropes. However, these materials do not provide the security required to transport an ATV at highway speeds or over rough terrain and tend to work loose during use. Various other assemblies for this purpose have been proposed in the prior art. The following patents are illustrative of prior art assemblies:                U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,737 Russell        U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,713 Lenkman        U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,235 Vander Koy et al        U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,935 Treihaft        U.S. Pat. No. 6,382,891 Bellis, Jr.        U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,685 Hain        U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,417 Weaver        U.S. Pat. No. 6,077,004 Demnan, Jr.        U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,757 Huston        U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,219 Bartholomay        U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,472 Cook, Jr.        
However, neither of the prior art proposals disclose an assembly that 1) will reliably secure the ATV to the transport vehicle at high speed and over rough terrain, 2) can be quickly disassembled when not in use so that no component extends upwardly from the transport vehicle bed to interfere with other uses of the transport vehicle, 3) can be quickly assembled when transportation of the ATV is desired, 4) is mounted for easy reach near the rear of the transport vehicle bed, and 5) does not project beyond the frame of the vehicle.